Culture Jamming Lands Russian Graphic Artist in Trouble with Police

English Russia has posted a series of wildly subversive spoof advertisements created by an internet artist named “Mr. Evil.” The ads, which feature aggressive, visceral images of violence, hate, and just plain ugliness linked to popular capitalist brands (both Western and Russian such as state tourism, McDonald’s, and Ikea), apparently earned the artist a visit from the police, who confiscated his works and ordered him to leave the city. This graphic arts movement is generally understood as a radical instrument of protest known as “Culture Jamming” (see Mark Dery’s extensive essay on the subject). Regardless of what we think of the political commentary made by this artist, no one should be getting harassed by the police simply for practicing their freedom of expression. A spoof on popular Russian clothing brand Extra by “Mr. Evil”